A PORLOCK man whose body was found at the bottom of West Somerset cliffs died of multiple injuries, an inquest heard.

The body of Trevor Telling, 71, from Bossington, was found on January 17 at the bottom of cliffs at Hurlstone Point just days after he went missing from his home.

In a statement read by senior coroner Tony Williams, Mr Telling's wife, Pamela, said her husband had suffered with anxiety for a number of years.

She was worried after discovering his bed had been slept in but that he was not at home.

In a written statement, Mrs Telling said: "Trevor slept in the spare room. When I got up I thought he was in the garden but when I went out I couldn't see him.

"I went upstairs and saw that his bed had been slept in and his pyjamas were tossed on top of the bed.

"I started to worry and went for a drive around Porlock to look for him, I called on my neighbours to see if they had seen him but they hadn't and told me to call the police.”

The inquest heard that Mr Telling was reported missing on January 16 and three coastguard teams searched for the retired telephone engineer for 23 hours.

His body was recovered by the coastguard on January 17 and was handed over to police.

Mrs Telling said her husband's disappearance was 'completely out of character'.

"My husband suffered from anxiety for a number of years," Mrs Telling said.

"Trevor has never given me or anyone else an indication that he had even thought about taking his own life.

"It is completely out of character."

The coroner also read a statement from Mr Telling's GP, Dr Ian Kellam, from Dunster and Porlock surgeries, who said Mr Telling had been seen at the surgery more than 20 times for anxiety.

Dr Kellam said Mr Telling was on regular medication for his anxiety and had engaged with Somerset mental services.

A post mortem report showed Mr Telling died of multiple trauma including injuries to his back, head and neck.

Senior Coroner Tony Williams recorded a narrative verdict.

He said: "The evidence has not disclosed the means by which the cause of death arose.

"His intentions have not been established."